Clothing display form



April 9, 1963 M. A. WOLF 3,084,837

CLOTHING DISPLAY FORM Filed Oct. 25, 1960 INVENiOR.

Maze/.5 ,4. #64;

A; B Y I 'll 1/ rates The present invention relates generally to clothing mannequins and more particularly to an abbreviated hanging and standing form for displaying a variety of clothing.

In displaying clothing for sale it is customary practice to utilize a mannequin or display for-m specifically adapted for showing a specific item of clothing. Thus, shirt forms are available solely for the display of shirts and coat forms are used solely for the display of sport coats or suit coats. Shirt forms are typically as long as the dimension from the shoulders to the waist and have a stub neck and they may be either full round, i.e. generally cylindrical in form and deep from front to rear to completely fill the shirt, or they may be of the front shield type in which only the shirt front and collar are displayed, with the remainder of the shirt being pinned to the back of the form. Because of limitations arising from these configurations, shirt forms have heretofore not been usable for the display of anything but a shirt and tie.

Conventional coat forms are also single purpose forms. Typically, these coat forms are slightly longer than the shoulder to waist dimension and are armless mannequins only roughly approximating the natural configuration of the human body. While such coat forms are utilized for the display of a shirt and tie beneath a coat, such forms cannot be used to display a shirt or shirt and tie alone to any advantage, primarily because they do not have as great a depth, front to rear.

An important object of my invention is to provide a multi-purpose clothing display form which is used in lieu of and replaces both a coat form and a shirt form and, further, is adapted to more effectively and attractively display coats or shirts than the conventional single purpose forms.

Another object of my invention is to provide a multipurpose clothing display form for showing not only shirts or coats but, also, to display sweaters, which assume a natural drape when mounted on a mannequin embodying my invention. The efiective display of sweaters has not heretofore been possible with any coat form because such coat forms are either too long or too short. The effective display of sweaters has not heretofore been possible with shirt for-ms because shirt forms of the full round type are too deep to permit a natural drape, while shirt fiorrns of the flat front shield type do not provide any natural fullness at all.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an abbreviated and versatile clothing display form which can be mounted on a stand, or suspended, or placed in reclining position on the floor of a display area. Thus, my invention permits extreme flexibility in creating a clothing display in very limited space and, particularly, in showcase type display windows, or on interior display poles. In this connection, the invention incorporates a mounting means for alternative use when the display form is suspended or supported on a stand to permit the displayed clothing to be properly draped, such means acting automatically when the form is suspended and being adjustable for use when the display form is supported on a stand.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing.

3,084,837 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an interior pole display showing clothing displayed on a suspended abbreviated display form and, also, on an identical form mounted on a stationary stand;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of my abbreviated display mannequin;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the :aXis of the mannequin mounting means.

FIGURE 1 shows a pair of identical display forms '10 and 11 embodying my invention and illustrating different modes of use of the invention. Thus, both dorms are supported from a vertically disposed display pole 12, the form 11 being suspended by means of a chain 13 from a horizontal arm 14 that is connected at one end to the pole 12. The other form 1.1 is supported by means of a stand which rests on a table 16 that is also supported by the pole 12. The form 11 is illustrated in use for the purpose of displaying a dress shirt 17 and tie 18. The identical suspended form 10 also displays a dress shirt 17 and tie 18 but beneath a coat 19. -It will be appreciated that the shirt v17 on the stand-supported form '11 is rigged and pinned to achieve the appearance shown and the form 11 is mounted on the stand -15 to achieve the proper angle of the shirt front. The shirt 17 on the suspended form 10 is also rigged and pinned, merely for the purpose of retaining the shirt tails elevated above the hem of the coat 19, but the coat assumes a natural drape on the form 10 and the weight of the coat, plus the distribution of weight of the form causes the coat to auto matically hang at the proper angle from the chain 13, due to the location of the suspension means. Although not shown, it will be appreciated that either display form can assume a reclining position independently of support of any means like the chain 13 or support stand 15.

More specifically, and referring now to FIGURE 2, the form has a shell or body 20 which is preferably made of a lightweight material, such as expanded styrene, which is easy to pin and can have any desired finish applied thereto, as for example, burlap or paint. It is to be noted that the body 20 closely simulates the configuration of the corresponding portions of the human body, having an externally rounded chest or front portion 21, left and right shoulders 22 and 23, respectively, a neck 24 and a depression 25 at the base of the neck. The body 20 also has a very abbreviated upper back simulating portion 26 comprising rearward and downward merging continuations of the. neck 24 and shoulders 22 and 23. It

is highly preferable that the body as a. whole be anatomically correct.

The chest portion 21 of the hollow body 20 terminates at a horizontally disposed lowermost edge 27 disposed at waist level and having a horizontal length of about one-half the full width of a corresponding human body. The opposite sides of the frontal area of the chest 21 are defined by a pair of opposite left. and right edges 28 and 29, respectively. These side edgesextend upwardly from opposite ends of the lowermost edge 27, being inclined towards the left and towards the right, respectively, to rounded apices 30 and 31, respectively, thence curving downwardly and rearwardly to define the opposite edges of the back portion 26. The back portion 26 has a lowermost edge 33 that is somewhat downwardly concave in configuration'and extends between the opposite shoulders 22 and 23, at about a level corresponding to the lower edges of the scapulae.

Particular attention is drawn to the somewhat semicylindrical or downwardly concave configuration of the shoulders 22 and 23, the span between the shoulder apices '30 and 31, the opposite inclination of the side edges 28 and 29, and the abbreviated width of the lower edge I a a 27 of the chest. With this configuration, the display form of my invention is adapted for displaying a sports. shirt, or a dress shirt and a tie, or a coat, or a sweater, and any of these articles can be displayed to better advantage than has heretofore been possible by the use of single purpose display forms.

The shoulder apices 30 and 31 define a span which corresponds to the span between shoulder seams of the shirt 17, or the coat 19-, of a sweater, or of a T-shirt. Thus, when the shirt 17 is mounted on the form 11 its left and right shoulder seams 34 and 35, respectively, will fall over the shoulder apices 30 and 31 of the form 11, it being understood that a shirt size is selected corresponding to the nominal size of the form 11. The shirt can then be rigged and pinned in the manner shown in FIGURE 1 in order to attractively display the shirt front and collar with realistic depth through the shoulders, the excess material being pinned to the rear of the chest 21. Similarly, the coat 19 has left and right shoulder seams 36 and 37, respectively, which will fall over the apices 30 and 31. In the case of a garment such as a coat or a sweater which is intended to be displayed with a naturaldrape, it will be seen that the semi-cylindrical configuration of the shoulders 22 and 23 and the location of the apices 30 and 3.1 will positively insure the desired drape effect. Thus, referring to FIGURE 3 wherein shirt 17, tie 18 and coat 19 are illustrated in phantom outline on my display form, it will be observed that the back portion 26, although highly abbreviated, has sufficient vertical depth to cause the corresponding back portions of the coat 19 to drape naturally. Since the shoulder seams of the coat 19 are disposed over the semi-circular apices 30 and 31, the arms of the coat will also drape naturally and the 'front portions of the garment will also be disposed naturally due to the natural configuration of the chest 21.

In order to achieve a completely natural effect, it is of importance to dispose the body 20 at the correct angle relative to the vertical. For example, referring to FIG- URE 3, if the body 20 were to be tilted forwardly from the position illustrated, a break would be detected along the back of the coat 19 corresponding to the protrusion of the lower edge 33 into the material of the coat. Conversely, if the body 20 were to be tilted backwardly from the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, a similar break would be defined in the material of the coat 19 disposed over the lower edge 27 of the chest 21. Accordingly, I have provided a body mounting means which automatically balances the body 20 and the clothes supported thereon.

The generally cylindrical neck portion 24 is closed at its upper end by an integrally formed flat wall 38, that isdisposed substantially normally to the portions of the body "shell'defining the neck. A cap 39, preferably of polished brass, is placed over the flat Wall 38 and has a reversely rolled edge 40 embracing the upper edge of the neck 24.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the median plane of the body 20, in a direction normal to the breadth of the body. It will be seen that the support means for the body is disposed in this median plane but approximately three-fourths of the distance from the foremost edge portion of the cap 39. The support means for the body 20 is thus located symmetrically with respect to the breadth of the body but asymmetrically with respect to the fore and aft dimension of the wall 38. I have found that this position is beat suited for insuring that garments draped on the body 20' will have their weight properly distributed in a manner to avoid protrusion of the edges 33 and 27 into the material of the garment and so to avoid any breaks in the drape of the material.

For mounting the support means at this location, the cap 29 and wall 38 are formed with alignable openings '41 and 42, respectively, to receive a threaded stud bolt 43. To hang the body 20 from the chain 13, or the like,

a metal ball 44 is formed with a radially extending tapped bore 45 to threadedly engage the upwardly protruding end of the bolt 43. The ball 44 is also provided with a pair of diametrically opposite bores, disposed on a diameter normal to the direction of the tapped bore 45, for receiving opposite inwardly turned ends of a generally V- shaped hanger 46. This hanger is preferably made of a resilient material whereby its opposite ends can be snapped into and out of the diametrically opposite bores of the ball 44, to enable the hanger 46 to be attached and detached from the lowermost link of the chain 13-.

The opening 42 in the wall 38 is of counterbored configuration to provide a downwardly facing shoulder 47 to seat the upper end of an internally tapped sleeve 43 that is threadedly engageable with the lower end of the stud bolt 43. The lower end of the sleeve 48 threadedly receives an externally threaded stem 49 that extends radially from a substantially spherically shaped swivel 50. This swivel has a flange 51 engageable with the lower end face of the sleeve 48 to seat the sleeve. As is apparent, the support assembly is held in place and serves to hold the cap 39 on the wall 38 by tightening the ball 44 on the stud 43 to draw the sleeve 48 against the shoulder 47.

The stand 15 includes an upright tubular member 52 having an externally threaded cap 53 affixed to its upper end. This cap is threadedly engageable with an axially extending bore 54 of a tubular member 55 and the cap 53 is formed with an integral flange 56 for abutting the lower end face of the tubular member 55. At its upper end the member 55 has a cylindrical cavity 57, larger in diameter than the tapped axial bore 54, so as to define an upwardly facing annular shoulder 53 to seat the lower end of a coil spring 59. At its upper end the spring 59 abuts the lower face of a swivel seat 60, which comprises a disk-like member whose upper face is formed with a cavity 61. The swivel ball St} on its lower end has a fiat face 62 disposed normally to the axis of the threaded stem 49. The upper end of the tubular member 55 is externally threaded to receive a ring nut 63 which can be tightened on the tubular member '55 to bias the swivel ball 5%) into firm engagement with the swivel seat 60.

It will be noted that the side wall of the cavity =61 corresponds to a segment of a sphere. Since the stem 49 is out of axial alignment with the tubular member 55, the side wall of the cavity 61 provides a seat for a ball portion of the swivel ball 5% while the edge of the flat face 62 rides in the corner of the flat floor of the cavity 61. It will also be seen from FIGURE 4, that the edge of the opening through the nut 63, indicated at 63a, rides in a groove defined at the junction of the swivel 50 and flange 51. With this arrangement the angular relationship of the stem 49 to the axis of the tubular member 55, shown in FIGURE 4, is preserved even though the body 20 is rotated with respect to the stand 15 in which it is supported. Thus, when a rigger in preparing a clothing display wishes to alter the position of a garment on the body 20 with respect to a supporting surface such as the table 16, he may simply rotate the body 20 relative to the tubular member 55 and not disturb the angularity of the stem 49 relative to the tubular member 55.

It has been noted that thelocation of the body support means is such as to provide a natural drape of garments disposed on the body 20 when the body is suspended as by the chain 13. With the means just described for mounting the support means on the stand member 52, the body 2th will naturally assume the same angularity when mounted on the stand 15 as when it is supported by the chain 13, this arising from the engagement of the edge of the flat face 62 with the corner of the cavity 61 and the member 60. However, the engagement of the swivel ball 50 with its keeper member 60 also permits adjustment to the angles of the body 20 relative to the stand 15, if desired by the rigger.

While I have disclosed and described but a single preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the particular details of construction hereinabove set forth but only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A male clothing display form of a given size, comprising: a molded sheet of a semi-rigid material that is penetrable by garment rigging fasteners and having a configuration to anatomically simulate portions only of the neck, shoulders, chest and upper back of the human body, said molded sheet having an abbreviated width chest portion with a horizontally disposed lowermost edge at substantially waist level and defining an abbreviated Waist span of the chest-simulating portion of said sheet, said lowermost edge being substantially one-half the waist span of a body of said given size, said molded sheet having a pair of generally vertically disposed oppositely inclined side edges extending upwardly, rearwardly and outwardly away from opposite ends of said lowermost horizontally disposed edge, said opposite side edges having downwardly concave upwardly pointing rounded apices defining an abbreviated span between the shoulder-simulating portions of said molded sheet, said apices being disposed to receive the opposite shoulder seams of a garment of said given size displayed on said form, said molded sheet having a hollow neck-simulating portion that is closed at its upper end by an integral wall, said neck and shoulder simulating portions merging into one another behind and beneath said neck and shoulder simulating portions to define said vertically abbreviated back simulating portion, said back simulating portion having a generally horizontally extending lower edge substantially at a level corresponding to the level of the lower edges of the scapulae of a human body of said given size, and a member fastened to said wall and having a support means on a lower end thereof, within said neck-simulating portion, for mounting said display form on a support stand, and said member having a means on the upper end thereof, outside of said neck-simulating portion, for hanging said display form.

2 A display form as set forth in claim 1 in which said support means comprises a tubular member adapted for connection to the upper end of a support stand and containing a spring and a swivel seat biased upwardly by said spring, a swivel ball secured to said member of said wall and against which said seat is biased, and a nut threadedly engageable with the upper end of said tubular member to hold said swivel ball on said seat against the force of said spring.

3. A clothing display form, comprising:

a unitary body shell of a material that is penetrable by fasteners for rigging a garment of a given size on said shell, said body shell having integrally formed portions anatomically simulating portions only of the neck, chest, shoulders and upper back of a human body of said given size, said shell having a front lower edge disposed at a level substantially corresponding to the waist level of said human body but the width of said lower edge being abbreviated relative to the width of said human body at said waist level, the sides of, the chest portion of said shell being defined by side edges that extend upwardly and outwardly from the opposite ends of said front lower edge to the opposite sides of the shoulder portion of said shell, with said side edges then curving downwardly and rearwardly as rounded apices to the opposite ends of a rear lower edge with the latter opposite ends being disposed at substantially the level of the lower outer ends of the scalpulae of said human body, said rear lower edge being of downwardly concave configuration and said rear lower edge and the shell material thereabove defining an abbreviated back portion of general rounded configuration to conform to the configuration of said human body, said back portion merging into the neck portion of said shell with the rear of said neck blending into said back portion with a smooth continuous curve from top to bottom, and said chest portion likewise defining a smooth, continuous curve from top to bottom and also from side to side.

4. A display form as set forth in claim 3 wherein the upper end of said neck portion is closed by a wall to which is fastened support means for hanging said display form.

5. A display form as set forth in claim 4 wherein the lower end of said support means extends below said wall and is formed with a support stand-engageable member for mounting said display form on a support stand.

6. A display form as set forth in claim 5 wherein said support stand-engageable member includes a tubular member containing a spring and a swivel seat biased upwardly by said spring, a swivel ball that is normally fixed relative to said wall and against which said seat is biased, and a nut threadedly engageable with the upper end of said tubular member to hold said swivel ball on said seat against the force of said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 803,0167 Pfileger Oct. 31, 1905 896,445 Fredericks Aug. 18, 1908 967,482 Allison Aug. 16, 1910 2,273,743 Weinstien Feb. '17, 1942 2,558,497 Rosen June 26, 1951 2,603,392 Costa July 15, 1952 2,985,345 Hisock Mar. 23, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 542,490 France May 17, 1922 645,162 Great Britain Oct. 25, 1950 

1. A MALE CLOTHING DISPLAY FORM OF A GIVEN SIZE, COMPRISING: A MOLDED SHEET OF A SEMI-RIGID MATERIAL THAT IS PENETRABLE BY GARMENT RIGGING FASTENERS AND HAVING A CONFIGURATION TO ANATOMICALLY SIMULATE PORTIONS ONLY OF THE NECK, SHOULDERS, CHEST AND UPPER BACK OF THE HUMAN BODY, SAID MOLDED SHEET HAVING AN ABBREVIATED WIDTH CHEST PORTION WITH A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED LOWERMOST EDGE AT SUBSTANTIALLY WAIST LEVEL AND DEFINING AN ABBREVIATED WAIST SPAN OF THE CHEST-SIMULATING PORTION OF SAID SHEET, SAID LOWERMOST EDGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY ONE-HALF THE WAIST SPAN OF A BODY OF SAID GIVEN SIZE, SAID MOLDED SHEET HAVING A PAIR OF GENERALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED OPPOSITELY INCLINED SIDE EDGES EXTENDING UPWARDLY, REARWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID LOWERMOST HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED EDGE, SAID OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES HAVING DOWNWARDLY CONCAVE UPWARDLY POINTING ROUNDED APICES DEFINING AN ABBREVIATED SPAN BETWEEN THE SHOULDER-SIMULATING PORTIONS OF SAID MOLDED SHEET, SAID APICES BEING DISPOSED TO RECEIVE THE OPPOSITE SHOULDER SEAMS OF A GARMENT OF SAID GIVEN SIZE DISPLAYED ON SAID FORM, SAID MOLDED SHEET HAVING A HOLLOW NECK-SIMULATING PORTION THAT IS CLOSED AT ITS UPPER END BY AN INTEGRAL WALL, SAID NECK AND SHOULDER SIMULATING PORTIONS MERGING INTO ONE ANOTHER BEHIND AND BENEATH SAID NECK AND SHOULDER SIMULATING PORTIONS TO DEFINE SAID VERTICALLY ABBREVIATED BACK SIMULATING PORTION, SAID BACK SIMULATING PORTION HAVING A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING LOWER EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY AT A LEVEL CORRESPONDING TO THE LEVEL OF THE LOWER EDGES OF THE SCAPULAE OF A HUMAN BODY OF SAID GIVEN SIZE, AND A MEMBER FASTENED TO SAID WALL AND HAVING A SUPPORT MEANS ON A LOWER END THEREOF, WITHIN SAID NECK-SIMULATING PORTION, FOR MOUNTING SAID DISPLAY FORM ON A SUPPORT STAND, AND SAID MEMBER HAVING A MEANS ON THE UPPER END THEREOF, OUTSIDE OF SAID NECK-SIMULATING PORTION, FOR HANGING SAID DISPLAY FORM. 